View source for Wordy Rappinghood

{{Infobox song
| name       = Wordy Rappinghood
| cover      = Tom Tom Club - Wordy Rappinghood.png
| alt        =
| border     = yes
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Tom Tom Club]]
| album      = [[Tom Tom Club (album)|Tom Tom Club]]
| B-side     = {{ubl|''L'Elephant'' (UK)|''Spooks'' (US)}}
| released   = 1981 (UK)<br />May 1982 (US)
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| genre      =
* Funk
* new wave
| length     = 6:27
| label      =
* [[Sire Records|Sire]]
* [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]
* [[Island Records|Island]]
* [[PolyGram]] (outside US)
| writer     =
* [[Tina Weymouth]]
* [[Lani Weymouth]]
* [[Laura Weymouth]]
* [[Chris Frantz]]
* [[Steven Stanley]]
| producer   =
* [[Steven Stanley]]
* Tina Weymouth
* Chris Frantz
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title = [[Genius of Love]]
| next_year  = 1981
| misc       = {{External music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|ucKoWVC1ROg|"Wordy Rappinghood"}}}}
}}
Wordy Rappinghood'''" is the debut single by American [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[Tom Tom Club]], from their [[Tom Tom Club (album)|1981 self-titled debut album]]. It uses part of a traditional [[Moroccan people|Moroccan]] children's song and game, "[[A Ram Sam Sam]]", made popular by the 1971 [[Rolf Harris]] recording. In the United States, the song topped the [[Dance Club Songs|''Billboard'' Disco Top 80]] chart along with "[[Genius of Love]]".

==Structure, instrumentation and production==
The song opens with the sound of a typewriter and features jarring synthesizer chords and a distinctive [[drum break]]. The words of the fifth verse are spoken in [[French language|French]]: "Mots pressés, mots sensés, mots qui disent la vérité, mots maudits, mots mentis, mots qui manquent le fruit d'esprit"<ref>http://www.telerama.fr/musique/tom-tom-club-ratiocinations-lexicologiques,92291.php</ref> which translate as: "hurried words, sensible words, words that tell the truth, cursed words, lying words, words that lack the fruit of the mind."

[[Tina Weymouth]] and [[Chris Frantz]] had relocated to [[Nassau, Bahamas]]. A neighbor, [[Chris Blackwell]], owner of [[Island Records]], invited them to record at his [[Compass Point Studios]]. Frantz and Weymouth co-opted [[Steven Stanley]], a keyboard player who had worked as the sound engineer on [[Ian Dury]]'s album ''[[Lord Upminster]]'', and Monte Browne, a bass player formerly with [[T-Connection]].<ref>http://www.jonkutner.com/wordy-rappinghood}</ref>

==Track listings==
*'''US 12" single'''<ref>http://www.discogs.com/Tom-Tom-Club-Wordy-Rappinghood/release/128268</ref>
:A. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Special 12" Version) – 6:39
:B. "Spooks" – 6:28

*'''European 7" single'''
:A. "Wordy Rappinghood" – 3:50
:B. "Wordy Rappinghood" (You Don't Ever Stop) – 4:05

*'''European 12" single'''
:A. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Remix) – 6:42
:B. "Elephant" – 5:11

==Chart performance==
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for ''Wordy Rappinghood''
!scope="col"|Chart (1981–1982)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])
|44
|-
{{single chart|Flanders|1|artist=Tom Tom Club|song=Wordy Rappinghood|rowheader=true|accessdate=December 15, 2012}}
|-
!scope="row"|France ([[Institut français d'opinion publique|IFOP]])<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20050319102749/http://www.infodisc.fr/Bilan_T.php</ref>
|9
|-
{{single chart|Ireland2|10|song=Wordy Rappinghood|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 5, 2013}}
|-
{{single chart|Dutch40|2|year=1981|week=35|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 1, 2013}}
|-
{{single chart|Dutch100|2|artist=Tom Tom Club|song=Wordy Rappinghood|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 1, 2013}}
|-
{{single chart|New Zealand|35|artist=Tom Tom Club|song=Wordy Rappinghood|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 10, 2011|refname="NZ"}}
|-
!scope="row"|Spain ([[Productores de Música de España|AFYVE]])<ref>{{cite book|first= Fernando |last= Salaverri |date= September 2005 |title= Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 |edition= 1st |publisher= Fundación Autor-SGAE |location= Spain |isbn= 84-8048-639-2 |language= es}}</ref>
|3
|-
{{single chart|UK|7|date=19810718|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 1, 2013}}
|-
!scope="row"|US ''Billboard'' [[Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles|Bubbling Under the Hot 100]]<ref>{{cite magazine|title= Bubbling Under the Hot 100 |magazine= [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date= May 29, 1982 |page= 70 |url= http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1982/BB-1982-05-29.pdf}}</ref>
|105
|-
!scope="row"|US ''Billboard'' [[Dance Club Songs|Disco Top 80]]<ref>{{cite web|title= Tom Tom Club – Awards |publisher= [[AllMusic]] |accessdate= December 15, 2012 |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/tom-tom-club-mw0000651118/awards}}</ref>
|1
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Year-end chart performance for "Wordy Rappinghood"
!scope="col"|Chart (1981)
!scope="col"|Position
|-
!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{cite web|title= Jaaroverzichten 1981 |publisher= [[Ultratop]]. Hung Medien |accessdate= 3 January 2021 |url= http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1981 |language= nl}}</ref>
|17
|-
!scope="row"|Netherlands ([[Dutch Top 40]])<ref>{{cite web|title= Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981 |publisher= [[Dutch Top 40]] |accessdate= 3 January 2021 |url= https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1981 |language= nl}}</ref>
|32
|-
!scope="row"|Netherlands ([[Single Top 100]])<ref>{{cite web|title= Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981 |publisher= [[Single Top 100]]. Hung Medien |accessdate= 3 January 2021 |url= http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1981&cat=s |language= nl}}</ref>
|64
|}
{{col-end}}

==Chicks on Speed version==
{{Infobox song
| name       = Wordy Rappinghood
| cover      = Wordy Rappinghood Chicks on Speed.jpg
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Chicks on Speed]]
| album      = [[99 Cents (Chicks on Speed album)|99 Cents]]
| released   = 2003
| recorded   = 
| studio     =
| genre      =
| length     = 6:26
| label      = Chicks on Speed
| writer     =
* Tina Weymouth
* Chris Frantz
* Steven Stanley
| producer   = Glove
| prev_title = [[We Don't Play Guitars]]
| prev_year  = 2003
| next_title = Flame On
| next_year  = 2004
| misc       = {{External music video|{{YouTube|g_1kziD6Lec|"Wordy Rappinghood"}}}}
}}

"'''Wordy Rappinghood'''" was covered by German electroclash group [[Chicks on Speed]] and released as the second single from their album ''[[99 Cents (Chicks on Speed album)|99 Cents]]'' in 2003. Their version featured guest vocals by other female musicians such as [[Miss Kittin]], [[Kevin Blechdom]], [[Le Tigre]], [[Adult (band)|Adult.]]'s [[Nicola Kuperus]], and Tom Tom Club founding member [[Tina Weymouth]].<ref>http://www.allmusic.com/album/99-cents-mw0000261647</ref>

This cover was sampled in the song "Really Rappin' Something" by [[the Kleptones]] from the album ''[[From Detroit to J.A.]]'' in 2005. In 2007, the [[Playgroup (band)|Playgroup]] remix of Chicks on Speed's version appeared on the compilation album ''[[FabricLive.33]]'' by [[Spank Rock]]''.<ref>http://www.discogs.com/Spank-Rock-FabricLive-33/release/939131</ref>

===Critical reception===
Christopher Lloyd of ''[[Drowned in Sound]]'' described the song as an "ultra-catchy seven minute dancefloor killer".<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20121016104838/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/3484/reviews/8192</ref>

===Track listings===
*'''European CD maxi single'''<ref>http://www.discogs.com/Chicks-On-Speed-Wordy-Rappinghood/release/318991</ref>
#"Wordy Rappinghood" (Radio Edit) – 4:20	
#"Wordy Rappinghood" (The [[Playgroup (band)|Playgroup]] Remix) – 5:23	
#"Wordy Rappinghood" ([[Dave Clarke (techno DJ)|Dave Clarke]]'s Non Techno Mix) – 3:37	
#"Wordy Rappinghood" (The Playgroup Instrumental Mix) – 5:24
#"Wordy Rappinghood" (music video)

*'''German 12" single'''<ref>{{http://www.discogs.com/Chicks-On-Speed-Wordy-Rappinghood/release/221489</ref>
:A1. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Album Mix) – 6:26
:A2. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Acapella Version) – 4:10
:B1. "Wordy Rappinghood" (The Playgroup Remix) – 5:23
:B2. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Dave Clarke's Non Techno Mix) – 3:37

===Charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+Weekly chart performance for "Wordy Rappinghood" by Chicks on Speed
!scope="col"|Chart (2003–2004)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
{{single chart|Flanders Dance|5|artist=Chicks on Speed|song=Wordy Rappinghood|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 7, 2016}}
|-
{{single chart|Scotland|72|date=20040307|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 6, 2016}}
|-
{{single chart|United Kingdom|66|date=20040307|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 7, 2016}}
|-
{{single chart|UKdance|4|date=20040307|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 6, 2016}}
|}
{{clear}}

==Uffie version==
{{Infobox song
| name       = Wordy Rappinghood
| cover      = Uffie wordy rappinghood.jpg
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Uffie]]
| album      =
| released   = 2011
| recorded   = 
| studio     =
| genre      =
| length     = 3:08
| label      =
* [[Ed Banger Records|Ed Banger]]
* [[Because Music|Because]]
* [[Elektra Records|Elektra]]
| writer     =
* Tina Weymouth
* Chris Frantz
* Steven Stanley
| producer   = [[DJ Mehdi]]
| prev_title = [[Wikipedia:Difficult (song)|Difficult]]
| prev_year  = 2010
| next_title = Drugs
| next_year  = 2018
}}

French-American electronic artist [[Uffie]] covered the song in 2011. The single, produced by labelmate [[DJ Mehdi]], was released on April 18, 2011, through [[Ed Banger Records]], [[Because Music]] and [[Elektra Records]].<ref>https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wordy-rappinghood-evian-mix/id431762234</ref> Her version was used in a global [[Evian]] ad campaign.<ref>https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-babies-are-back-evian-announces-launch-of-new-live-young-campaign-120189399.html</ref>


==References==
{{Reflist}}